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Visas are issued at American Consulates outside the United States to foreign citizens abroad who want to come here. Once in the US, foreigners are under the jurisdiction of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

The following are some of the services provided by the INS.

1. Extension of the time that a foreign National is allowed to stay in the US.

2. Changes of status while in the US.

3. Approval of petitions for immigrants, fiancee, and temporary worker status.

4. Adjustment of status to permanent residence.

5. Issuance or Replacements of Green Card

6. Issuance of re-entry permits for permanent residence.

7. Travel Documents for Refugees

8. Application for US citizenship through naturalization.

For further information on these services check with your local telephone directory under the US Government Justice Department, Immigration and Naturalization Service. If you entered the US on a nonimmigrant visa and want to stay longer than the time period granted by the immigration inspector when you entered, contact the INS for form I-539 for an extension of stay.

Visas are used only for entering the US. After you enter you can stay as long as the INS says you can, whether or not your visa has expired. If you have INS permission to stay, you do not need to get a new visa unless you leave the US and want to re-enter at a later time.

Your approved period of stay can be found on your I-94, which is the card you filled out and showed to the immigration inspector when you entered the US. The card is usually stapled to your visa in your passport.